Physocarpus plant named ‘Bert Dart&#39;s G’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Physocarpus  plant named ‘Bert Dart&#39;s G’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy habit; yellow to yellow green-colored leaves; showy inflorescences with numerous white-colored flowers; good garden performance; and resistance to Powdery Mildew.

Botanical designation: Physocarpus opulifolius.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BERT DART'S G’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Physocarpus plant, botanically known as Physocarpus opulifolius and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bert Dart's G’.

The new Physocarpus plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hazerswoude, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Physocarpus plants with yellow green-colored leaves and resistance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Physocarpus plant originated from an open-pollination in June, 2008 in Hazerswoude, The Netherlands of Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Dart's Gold’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Physocarpus opulifolius as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Physocarpus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in May, 2010 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Hazerswoude, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Physocarpus plant by softwood cuttings in a controlled environment in Hazerswoude, The Netherlands since May, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Physocarpus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Physocarpus have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bert Dart's G’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bert Dart's G’ as a new and distinct Physocarpus plant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy habit.     -   3. Yellow to yellow green-colored leaves.     -   4. Showy inflorescences with numerous white-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.     -   6. Resistant to Powdery Mildew.

Plants of the new Physocarpus can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Dart's Gold’. Plants of the new Physocarpus differ from plants of ‘Dart's Gold’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Physocarpus are more compact than plants of         ‘Dart's Gold’.     -   2. Plants of the new Physocarpus are more resistant to Powdery         Mildew than plants of ‘Dart's Gold’.

Plants of the new Physocarpus can be compared to plants of the Physocarpus ‘Nugget’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hazerswoude, The Netherlands, plants of the new Physocarpus differed from plants of ‘Nugget’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Physocarpus were more compact than plants         of ‘Nugget’.     -   2. Plants of the new Physocarpus were more mounded than and not         as arching as plants of ‘Nugget’.     -   3. Plants of the new Physocarpus and ‘Nugget’ differed in leaf         color.     -   4. Plants of the new Physocarpus were more resistant to Powdery         Mildew than plants of ‘Nugget’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Physocarpus, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Physocarpus.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bert Dart's G’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bert Dart's G’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. Plants were three years old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Bert Dart's G’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Dart's             Gold’, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Physocarpus             opulifolius, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 20 days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             months at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to thick; fibrous; white and brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; compact and             mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 65             lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances             lateral branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 63 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 100 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 15 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 144D becoming closer to 176C             with development.         -   Color, developed.—Close to 197D. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate; tri-lobed.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Lobed; crenate to dentate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: High light levels,             close to 150B; low light levels, closer to 144A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: High light levels, close to 150C; low             light levels, closer to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: High light levels, close to 1C to 150B; low light             levels, closer to 147A; venation, close to 144B. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: High light levels, close to             150C; low light levels, closer to 147B; venation, close to             144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Single rotate flowers             arranged in terminal and axillary corymbs; corymbs             hemispherical in shape; freely flowering habit with usually             about 34 flowers per inflorescence and about 442 flowers             developing per lateral branch; flowers face upright to             outwardly.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last for about three to four weeks             on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower from late May though             June in Michigan.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 8 mm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 6 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Elliptical to obovate. Color: Close to between 145A             and 155C.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals in a single             whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 3.5 mm. Shape:             Elliptic to obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Color,             fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl.             Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Subulate.             Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144D. Color, fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144D.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower:             About 20. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.             Anther color: Close to 176A. Amount of pollen: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 156A. Gynoecium: Quantity per flower:             About four. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Style length: About             0.6 mm. Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma appearance:             Globular. Stigma color: Close to 145B. Ovary color: Close to             145B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Physocarpus plant. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Physocarpus have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −25° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Physocarpus have been     observed to be resistant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new     Physocarpus have not been shown to be resistant to pests and other     pathogens common to Physocarpus plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Physocarpus plant named ‘Bert Dart's G’ as illustrated and described. 